In many telecommunication systems, communications networks are used to exchange messages among several interacting spatially-separated devices. Networks may be classified according to geographic scope, which could be, for example, a metropolitan area, a local area, a personal area, or a broad area that links multiple boundaries. Such networks may be designated respectively as metropolitan area network (MAN), local area network (LAN), personal area network (PAN), or wide area network (WAN). Networks also differ according to the switching or routing technique used to interconnect the various network nodes and devices (e.g., circuit switching vs. packet switching), the type of physical media employed for transmission (e.g., wired vs. wireless), and the set of communication protocols used (e.g., Internet protocol suite, SONET (Synchronous Optical Networking), Ethernet, etc.).
Wireless networks are often preferred when the network elements are mobile with dynamic connectivity needs or if the network architecture is formed in an ad hoc, rather than fixed, topology. Wireless networks employ intangible physical media in an unguided propagation mode using electromagnetic waves in the radio, microwave, infra-red, optical, etc. frequency bands. When compared to fixed wired networks, wireless networks advantageously facilitate user mobility and rapid field deployment.
The devices in a wireless network may transmit or receive information between each other. The information may include packets, which may be referred to as data units. The packets may include overhead information (e.g., headers, packet properties, etc.) that helps in routing the packet through the network, identifying the data in the packet, processing the packet, etc. The packets may also include data, such as user information, multimedia content, etc.